Breshada
Breshada (bresh-Ah-duh) is a notorious Hunter who wields Whisper, a named sword. Stern and fierce, she takes a particular interest in Davian and Wirr as they travel north through Desriel. Her name carries immense weight among the Hunters and the gil'shar, and she is respected and feared in equal measure. Appearance Still young for her position, Breshada's feminine features are usually overpowered by a menacing scowl. Her skin is somewhat pale, and hair is dark and long. History Early on in her career as a Hunter, she was approached by Talkanor, the Desrielite God of Balance. He offered her Whisper, a Named Sword that could kill at a touch, in exchange for a specific favour: When a Gifted boy named Davian one day crossed through Desriel, she would protect him at any cost. Breshada accepted the pact, and used Whisper to quickly climb the ranks of the Hunters. She kept an eye on Talmiel, anticipating Davian's eventual arrival. Activities An Unexpected Rescue When Davian and his companion Wirr stop at Talmiel on their journey through Desriel, Breshada quickly picks them out among the crowd. She follows them to an inn, and fiercely observes them while they eat, both scaring them and drawing their suspicion. The boys later cause a commotion by asking for passage across the Devliss, causing them to be apprehended by two other Hunters. Instead of joining her comrades, she kills them both in order to free the boys, to their utter disbelief. Believing her part of the bargain to be fulfilled, she tells them to leave the inn and they promptly comply. She blames the boys for the deaths of the Hunters, and returns to her duties. Unbeknownst to her, Nethgalla has been observing her, and has made a plan that involves disguising herself as the legendary Hunter. At some point after the rescue, the Ath kills her in secret and shapeshifts into her form. New Talents Now possessing the ability to wield Essence, she sets off a Finder during a routine inspection. She originally jokes about the absurdity of the result with her companions, but after several re-tests she is forced to attack them with Essence in order to flee — gaining the telltale mark of the Gifted in the process. After her escape, she cuts her hair to partially disguise herself. She later resurfaces in Andarra when she tails Wirr's convoy as he travels to the Andras estate, drawing the suspicion of Andyn. When she is discovered, she pleads with Wirr for his protection. He is skeptical of her motives, but eventually relents out of curiosity (someone becoming Gifted in adult life is completely unheard of) and for repayment of her help in Desriel. She hides in a shed while he is in the Estate, and rides in his caravan when he departs again for the palace. Upon their arrival, she is almost spotted by a passing patrol. In an attempt to hide her identity, she quickly embraces Wirr in a kiss, which causes the patrol to laugh and avoid the pair for courtesy's sake. Afterwards, she is escorted by Aelric to a shed on the palace grounds where she can be hidden until Wirr determines what to do with her. Asha eventually volunteers to tutor her in the use of Essence, though she proves to be an incredibly difficult student. Refusing to use Essence for any practical purpose due to her religious beliefs, she concedes that she will learn enough to not be a danger to herself or those around her. Journey to Deilannis Her tutor eventually volunteers to join Laiman Kardai on his expedition to Deilannis. She decides to tag along, in part to continue her lessons, but mainly to do something other than hide. Their lessons continue, and the pair develop what seems to be a grudging friendship as she volunteers to teach Asha the fundamentals of swordplay in return. Upon reaching Deilannis, the party realizes the bridges are guarded by dar'gaithin. As the most combat-experienced, she scouts ahead and manages to take down a pair before the rest of the party catches up with her. In the ensuing fight, another Bane manages to break Asha's spine, paralyzing her and pushing her over the bridge into the Lantarche. Breshada jumps over the bridge to save the Gifted girl. She manages to drag them both into a cave-like structure underneath Deilannis proper. While Asha is unconscious, Breshada heals the girl of her paralysis with Essence, but does not inform her of this when she wakes up. The pair venture up into the great library, where they encounter Caeden. Nethgalla discards the disguise of Breshada, dropping Whisper on the floor, and taunts Asha for falling prey to her deception. Outraged, Asha impales her with the Named Sword, causing Nethgalla to transfer over the Siphon and returning to normal from a Shadow. Her plan complete, the Ath leaves, no longer needing to use the guise of the Hunter. Asha is pained to learn of her manipulation, but eventually shares the information with Wirr — finally allowing him to understand how Breshada suddenly became able to wield Essence. Category:Characters Category:Gifted